Policeman's son in court for fatal traffic accident on campus

WANGDU, Hebei, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- A man who invoked his policeman father's name at a crowd of witnesses after killing a young woman with his car on a north China university campus has admitted in court to causing the woman's death.

Li Qiming, 23, appeared at Wangdu County People's Court at 9 a.m. Wednesday charged in connection with a fatal road accident on the evening of Oct. 16 last year in Hebei University, Baoding City, Hebei Province.

The Wangdu County People's Procuratorate charged Li with causing death through various traffic offenses.

Li was drink-driving when he hit two women students, who were roller-skating. Li continued driving to drop off his friend at the university until being stopped by the university guards and angry students, said the prosecutors.

One of the women, Chen Xiaofeng, 20, died later in hospital while the other, Zhang Jingjing, 20, suffered a fractured leg. Zhang has been discharged from hospital.

The court hearing ended at 10:40 a.m. and the sentence will be handed down at a later date.

The expression "My father is Li Gang" became a bitter joke in China, with various versions of the sentence being used in a joking manner.

There is even an English-language Wikipedia entry on the "Li Gang incident."

Li Qiming is known in China as a "guan'erdai," or offspring of an official, a term that many Chinese associate with arrogant, bullying behavior and sense of privilege.

Police records show Li did mention whom his father is, but only after he was taken to the guardhouse at the university.

In a China Central Television broadcast interview on Oct. 22, 2010, Li Gang said, "I am really sorry for what my son has done. He caused a lot of pain for the victims' families. I will not play favorites for my son's benefit at the court hearings."

During the interview Li choked with emotion and bowed to ask for forgiveness.

The TV footage also showed a teary Li Qiming, who said he was "very sorry."